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WLUML saddened by the loss of Salma Sobhan

It is with the greatest sadness and profound shock that we are informing you that our dear friend Salma Sobhan of Bangladesh has died.

Salma passed away suddenly late on Monday, 29th December at her home in Dhaka after suffering breathing difficulties.

Salma apa, as she was affectionately known to many of us in the network, was one of WLUML's most dynamic analytical minds, someone to whom we always turned when faced with difficult questions of policy and strategy. Our loss is beyond measure.

But Salma did not just bring us her superb sense of justice and commitment to women's rights. She also enriched us all with her wonderful sense of humour, her cheerful willingness to take on the most difficult and delicate of tasks, and her great humbleness. Of her many special qualities was her ability to reach out to all generations and form real friendships with younger activists linked through WLUML and beyond. All this in spite of the fact that she occupied a position as one of Bangladesh's foremost human rights activists, a Barrister and former Executive Director of the legal aid and human rights organisation, Ain-o-Salish Kendra.

Our thoughts are with Salma's husband and soul-mate Rehman, and two sons Babar and Zafar.